Scientists turn plastic waste into edible protein cookies

Researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale have developed a method to convert plastic waste and agricultural byproducts into edible, protein-rich cookies, a process they say could help address both pollution and future food shortages. The innovation, dubbed µBites (pronounced "microbites"), was presented at the American Chemical Society's Fall 2026 meeting in Chicago, with the team awaiting institutional approval to conduct taste tests.